As highlighted this morning by La Gazzetta dello Sport, the second half of the game against Inter saw the emphatic return of "Theao," the Theo Hernandez – Rafael Leao connection on the left flank that Milan had sorely missed until now.
The hope is that the night in Riyadh serves as a starting point for the Frenchman and the Portuguese winger to continue in this vein and begin racking up kilometers on the flank again.
While Theo hasn’t been technically perfect, both during the game and post-match, he showed himself to be fully engaged and committed to the cause. Energetic during the match, he didn’t succumb to Inter’s provocations.
Happy and unleashed yet mature in the post-match, he admitted that the blame for Fonseca’s sacking also rests with the team. Rediscovering this version of Theo bodes well for the future, and with this atmosphere, the player moves closer to a contract renewal, as his current deal expires in 2026. Resolving this matter before the summer is essential for both him and Maignan.
There is hope that Conceicao can recover other players besides Theo and Leao.
Among them is Fikayo Tomori, who is already benefiting from the coach’s decisions, having started as a regular in two consecutive matches, effectively halting a potential transfer.
Tammy Abraham has also impressed, bringing energy and determination in both the Juventus and Inter matches, even scoring the winning goal.
Some players, however, have seemingly fallen off the radar. One is Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who has been unrecognizable this season; under Conceição, he might finally find a role that suits him.
Another is Strahinja Pavlović, who, after a strong start, has been relegated to the bench and has barely played since. The next five months will reveal a great deal about their futures.
